Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the area of skin supplied by the nerve. It's caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.
Shingles is most common in people age 50+, occurring in about one in five people. It's rare to have shingles more than once, but about one person in 50 has shingles two or more times in their life.
It's hard to know exactly what would trigger the shingles episodes. The medical literature indicates that a weakened immune system may account for the virus reactivating and multiplying as the cause. Shingles is more common in people with a poor immune system (immunosuppression) such as younger people who have HIV/AIDS or whose immune system has been suppressed with treatment such as steroids or chemotherapy.
Having Hepatitis B impacts the immune system and you may also want to take that into consideration in trying to understand why you have had multiple shingles outbreaks.
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Hi Patrick and thanks for your Share.
Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the area of skin supplied by the nerve. It's caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.
Shingles is most common in people age 50+, occurring in about one in five people. It's rare to have shingles more than once, but about one person in 50 has shingles two or more times in their life.
It's hard to know exactly what would trigger the shingles episodes. The medical literature indicates that a weakened immune system may account for the virus reactivating and multiplying as the cause. Shingles is more common in people with a poor immune system (immunosuppression) such as younger people who have HIV/AIDS or whose immune system has been suppressed with treatment such as steroids or chemotherapy.
Having Hepatitis B impacts the immune system and you may also want to take that into consideration in trying to understand why you have had multiple shingles outbreaks.
Thanks again for your Share,
Pat
November 9, 2014 - 11:10amThis Comment
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